Flame-spreader for oil-burners.



G. W. KNAPP.

FLAME SPREADER FOR OIL BURNERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1911.

1,091,667, Patented Mar. 31, 191i 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses Inventor Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CD,WASIIINGTI)N. u. c.

G. W. KNAPP.

FLAME SPREADER FOR OIL BURNERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY15, 1911.

1,091,667. Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor Attorneys Witnesses COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co wAshmavoN, D. c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

GEORGE W.

XNAPP, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR T NATIONAL ENAMEL- ING &STAMPING (30.. OF BALTIMORE. MARYLAND.

FLAME-SPREADER FOR OIL-BURNERS.

To (all about it may coucom Be it known that I, Gnonen WV. Knarr, acitizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State ofMaryland, have invented a new and useful Flame-Spreader for Oil-Burners,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in flame spreaders, and theprimary object of the invention is the provision of a flame spreaderprovided with an overhanging perforated cylinder in communication withthe central draft passage of an oil burner, and having a wick flange sodisposed with relation to such overhanging portions, as to produce amixing chamber annularly of the cylinder and above the flange.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a flame spreaderhaving two integral perforated portions of different sizes at thejunction of which is a right angle imw perforate portion that is adaptedto project above a wick flange and be of lesser width than the same,thereby providing a cooling chamber annularly of the flange and abovethe same, so as to conduct air to spread the flame adjacent the flangeand simultaneously cool the wick flange from above.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the complete flamespreader. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line XX ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional view of a modified formof flame spreader. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of still anothermodification.

Referring to the drawings, the flame spreader consists of a cap A, and acylindrical portion having a bulging perforated portion B, and thereduced lower perforated end portion C, which is of a cylindrical shapeThe portion B, in reality overhangs the portion C, and provides theimperforate shoulder D, which when the wick ring E is in place, provideswith the wick flange G, and the outwardly projecting perforatedSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 15.1911.

Patented Mar. 31., 1914.

Serial No. 627,262.

portion F, an annular mixing and air conducting and cooling chamber,both above and below the wick flange. This also provides a coolingchamber whereby the air passing from the center of the spreader isconveyed against the shoulder D and downwardly upon the wick flange andoutwardly thereby assisting in cooling the wick flange and spreading theflame.

It will also be noted that the shoulder D, is within the periphery ofthe wick flange G and that by having the bulging or shoulderedperforated portion at B, a better cooling eflect is produced upon thewick flange, and air is supplied to better advantage to spread theflame. It will also be noted that air is admitted to the top of the wickbelow the flange G, through the perforated portion F, and also that thegas formed by the heat upon the oil in the wick below the flange mayenter the chamber between the shoulder D and flange Gr, thus insuring abetter mixing and combination of the gases, and counteracting thesnulfing effect that a plain flange would have upon the top of the wick.This action is accelerated by the perforations leading from the airpassage through the portion C adjacent to the portion F of the ring E.

By providing the imperforated shoulder D as shown, the air passingupwardly from the perforated portion C, against the shoulder D, isdeflected downwardly and out wardly upon the top of the wick flange G,thereby providing a cooling means to prevent the overheating of the saidflange G.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 3, the perforated wall B is cylindrical,and not bulging, as in Fig. 2, the operation being identical.

In Fig. 4, is shown a modification of the shoulder D, of Fig. 2, thisparticular shoulder D, being perforated, as at (Z, and providing anauxiliary or an additional cooling means for the wick flange G, the airbeing projected through its perforations downwardly upon the wickflange.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that there is provideda flame spreader or air distributer having a lower perforatedcylindrical element or portion fitted within, and surrounded by, acollar or ring which is flared and perforated to provide an annular gaschamber and terminating in the usual horizontal, imperforate wick flangedesigned to bear upon the upper end of a tubular wick, and said flamespreader or air distributer also embodies an upper perforatedcylindrical element, of larger diameter than the lower element, locatedabove and terminating at its lower end near the wick flange, the saidlower end of the upper element being connected with the upper end of thelower element by a horizontal annular flame guard, formed by a shoulderor offset in the flame spreader. This flame guard is located withreference to the wick flange and the lower end of the upper or enlargedelement of the flame spreader, so as to exclude flame from between theflame guard and wick flange, while permitting the passage therebetw enof vapor from the interior, to eflect a comparative cooling of the wickflange. It is well known that gas is generated at and escapes from theinner surface ofa wick at a point near its upper end or throughout thatportion which is around the ring which carries the wick flange, and thisgas finds its way into the gas chamber, above noted, and thence throughthe shallow annular channel provided between the flame guard and thewick flange to the flame, and it has been found in practice that theenlargement of that portion of the flame spreader which is immediatelyabove the wick flange and rises substantially from the plane of the wickflange, (with only the shallow gas passage intervening) results in apronounced flaring or spreading of the flame from a point immediatelyabove the wick flange, so that said flange is amply protected fromexcessive heat. lVhile it is common in the art to provide the flamespreader near the top plate with a stepped enlargement, as alsoillustrated in this case, the object of such enlargement does notcontemplate the exclusion of the flame from the space between the offsetor shoulder, thus formed, and the plane of the wick flange, norcontemplate the protection of the wick flange from radiant heat, but byproviding the enlargement of the flame spreader immediately above thewick flange and extending downward to a point separated from the wickflange by a shallow annular gas passage, not only is a more effectivespreading of the flame secured, but the enlarged element or portion ofthe spreader serves to efficiently protect the wick flange from radiantheat from the flame, and in turn protects the oflset'or shoulder betweensaid enlarged element and the lower reduced element of the spreader,said offset or shoulder obviously being that portion of the structurewhich is disposed almost in contact with the wick flange, and which,therefore, should be most carefully protected against radiant heat, inorder to prevent an excessively high temperature in the wick flange.

What is claimed is:

1. A flame spreader having a reduced end carrying a wick flange andhaving an upper enlarged cylindrical element arranged above the wickflange with its lower end spaced therefrom and connected to the reducedend and coacting withthe wick flange to form a flame-excluding gaspassage in communication with the interior of the spreader.

2. A flame spreader carrying a wick flange and having an uppercylindrical element arranged above the wick flange and spaced at itslower end therefrom, and a lower reduced element connected with thelower end of the upper element by an imperforate offset or shoulder,whereby a flame -eXcluding gas passage in communication with theinterior of the spreader is formed.

3. A flame spreader having a lower reduced cylindrical element and anupper enlarged cylindrical element connected by an annular offset orshoulder, in combination with a wick flange arranged under and adjacentto said offset or shoulder to form an annular gas passage incommunication with the interior of the spreader.

@l. A flame spreader having a lower reduced element and an upperenlarged element connected by an annular oflset or shoulder, said upperelement having an intermediate bulge, in combination with a wick flangecarried by said lower element and disposed beneath and adjacent to saidoffset or shoulder and spaced therefrom to form an annular gas passage,which is overhung by said bulging element of the spreader.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afliXedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. KNAPP. lVitnesses HY SCHUOHARDT, J12, Josnrrr SCHAPIRA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. C."

